BENS BEST BENT WIRE

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Update 11/19/23 - Tribute for Bill Crane, SK 10/26/23:

https://youtu.be/Znyqq9f93r0?si=bxPV0zVmGN7oWo_u

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Update August 22, 2022.   I was able to find Bill Crane W9ZN on the air by looking for his spots on RBN.   Took me a while to see the pattern on when and where he's be on frequency, but not only did we make the QSO, we exchanged cards as well! 

This is one of my favorite QSL cards that I've collected so far.  Thank You Bill!    

73 Chris de WX7V




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Last month I asked a members of the Straight Key Century Club  what was their favorite way to warm up before sending morse code.  I got a lot of input - from, "Just jump right in" to sending the Alphabet and the Numbers 0-9.  

My favorite answer is to practice sending Bens Best Bent Wire, with the letters and numbers run together so that the code produced sounds similar to a march.  Apparently this was taught by the RAF,  merchant marines, and subsequently used by many commercial CW operators back in the day.

There's cool video of Bill Crane, W9ZN from Chicago who was playing this on the air between CQ.  Billl is still on the air, and I'll be watching RBN for him so that hopefully I can get a QSO with him.

Dave, AA7EE recorded this video and posted about an article about with the video on his blog back in March 2012. 




The full text is here as shared with me by Ron AC2C SKCC # 2748S 

BENS BEST BENT WIRE 

/5 5 ESE BENN BENT BENN BEST

4E 4E 4E EET 

4E 4E 4E EET

7E 7E 7E T 

7E 7E 7E T

4E 4E 4E EET

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